02 - Ritva's Cities II, collages

This text was published in AESTHETICA magazine in Oct.-Nov 2016 issue.
Ritva Raitsalo is a London based collagist. In images such as Layered she reveals secret memories of cities and a hidden city beyond the city. She mixes up places and uses parts of the buildings to assemble her own vision of the existing world. The worlds and cities she creates exist only in her image, but are memories of actual urban landscapes at this moment in time.

Three layers of terraced housing and blocks of flats rise from water, growing towards the horizon. The horizon itself tapers along the water's edge, culminating in the Canary Wharf Tower, which is silhouetted against dark towers of the city. Playing with different depths and perspectives, the city once again seems like a never-ending circle of waterways, houses, industry & commerce.

A large brick factory, the canal leading us in its direction, overwhelms peaceful whitewashed luxury residential houses. With the factories' four imposing chimneys and a modern office block dominating the skyline, we see a very different view of the city to the idyllic canal-side residencies.

Factories with tall chimneys, warehouses and council houses with graffiti and a big grimace. Railways going through blocks of flats and a desolate piece of wasteland. Tiny white Canary Wharf Tower and its twin stand out like lighthouses in this brown shade industrial urban landscape.

Under a massive Victorian brick bridge there is a canal with chimneys and bluish silos. These symbols of industry link to the Shipyard and Great Western Railway Station seen in distance. A discarded propeller from an ocean liner sits center stage, statuesque like a bird about to take flight.

Gateways to the unknown reminds me of a stage set at the teatro popolare - dark, murky, mysterious alleyways which can hide anything and probably do in the old city of Rome. They are almost deserted, with the allusion of life and movement from the odd ghostly figure.

A dynamic eclectic mix of black & white warehouses with red doors, silver industrial pipes, brown silos, white blocks of flats with bizarre red details and office blocks, construct a strong, vertical composition of a growing city. The natural geometric line point up to the sky.

Hanging flags in Neal's Yard and Chinatown, London were the inspiration for the title of Washing Line. Neal's Yard, famous for its remedy stores and health treatments, forms a central oasis surrounded by the overgrown city.

Reflections on dark murky waters through a gate. White ice cream cone like element stands against the black shadow. A bridge leads to a pub with red roof by the Great Union canal. People sit under red umbrellas in reflective mood oblivious of heavy steel pipes and scaffolding above them.

Playground on Sunday. There are lots of chimneys, some factories are still operating, green containers by the canal You can see a bridge above the water. Strange industrial devices, a green warehouse, pipes, metallic railings and fences. In the middle of all this there is a free sand colour space which could be called a playground on Sunday.

Gates. Bridges show the way along the river or the canal. Lots of red and pale blue containers and silver silos are on the other side of the canal with reflections on the water. A solitary walker approaches the bend of the canal. Lots of twists and turns create a dynamic picture. Canary Wharf Tower is seen in the distance and the little harbour with sailing and motorboats and its twin is bathing in the sunset.

Wind mill. Lots of red containers, white pipes, massive metal bridge by the canal. Factories with chimneys, some operating and a windmill. In front of the picture there are offices of Hovis bread and loads of lorries ready to distribute thousands of loaves.

Red containers with reddish reflections on the canal, many industrial vehicles with fat tyres above and next to them layers of canals with reflections. Red cranes, industrial boats, bridges, warehouses and a big boathouse reflecting on the canal. The picture creates a labyrinthine, zigzag view.

Aerial shots show how London can be really crowded and buildings seem to be thrown in at random. Red buses have to find their way in the labyrinthine metropolis. Hardly any people are visible a part from three tourists who are hurrying towards some green terraces of Broad gate to get some respite in the hot summer day.

Red I. Lots is happening in Leicester Square, London. Red Chinese restaurants, Play2Win, Neon lights of Amusements and Burger King ad colour to the busy square. More colour is reflected on the wet pavements. People are walking or standing in groups or sitting in a café. Lots of twists and turns create a dynamic picture.

Chinatown. London may seem a grey, brownish city, but not in Chinatown, where most restaurants are red. Ads in iconic Piccadilly Circus featuring TDK, Sanyo, Coca-Cola are often red. A totem of Dragon stands on the roof. A experimental architect has created a yellow flower like pavilion for summer. People are hurrying to Play2Win.

What are you staring at? Kite enthusiasts have set up a camp on the green. There are pink tents and one white one. Colourful flags Spirit of Air and Kite store advertise their kites. Two gigantic black cats are staring at you.

White Palace has features from various cities. I like labyrinthine geometric lines and curves, Arabic windows and cupolas. Ultra modern vs ancient seem to unite these different cities creating a wavy movement.